Vehicle body construction



Nov. 4, 1930. 5. PAUL 1,780,717

' VEHICLE BODY CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 2, 1928 Patented Nov. 4, r 1930 7 construction which'is especially adapted to SYDNEY PAU or LIMA,

OHIO, ASSIGNQR To summon BODY COMPANY, or; Linn;

omo, ACORPORATION or onto IVEHTCLE BODY consriz-ucrion Application fi1ed November'2, 19 28 Seam. 316,660. d

This invention relates to a vehicle body be used formotorbusses and other vehicles having large bodies.

The-general object of the invention'is to i provide a bodyconstructionwhich is strongly and rigidly braced, yet comparatively simple and inexpensive. "It isipreferred to a construct the body mainly of wood, although such material is not essential to the invention. A further object is to'arrange the sills, braces and outrigger construction'in such a manner as low as possible,

as to bring the center" of gravity of the body so that'it cannot be easily overturned.

5 The specific'construction ofmy invention and theadvantages resulting therefrom will be more particularlydescribed with referene'to the accompanying drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiment thereof. Inthe'drawingsi I Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view of aportion ofa body constructed according'to the invention. v Figure 2 is a perspective view'of a portion of the body as viewed'from apoint below and in t front of the same. I

According to the construction shown in the 1 drawings, the bottom portion of the vehicle body" has longitudinal side sills 5, which are preferably ofwood andmadeup of lamina tions, These laminationsjinaybe bent to conform to" the desired contourof the body,

and after they are glued together and the glue" becomes dry,"the*sills will retain their shape; At the upper edge-of each side jsill 5 a sub-sill 6 is securedto the inner face thereof bybolts, 7 ,which also aid in securing vertical illars 8 to the "outer-face of the sills.

Th" bottom frame construction also has in-,-

termediate sub sills 9 and 10. Theifl'oor 11 laid on the sub-sills 6, 9 andsl'0 and is preferably overlaid with a suitable covering 12.

- tion, formedby s p sins 5. Their outer endsj arergradually' Outriggers 13'ares'ecuredto the under faces of the sub-sills 10 at each sideof the bodyby means of suitable bolts 14. These Outriggers also are preferably of laminated constructhe same. method as the side curved downwardly, finally terminating in preferably laminated sible with respect vertical; portions which lie flat against the lower'e'dge portions of side sills 5,to which they,aresecuredby suitable bolts-15; "The i '2 bolts 15, also serveto secure'thebottom side sill16 to the; outer face of side sill the lower edge thereof. J i

:In order to strengthen the construction, the bowed portion "of each outrigger 13 is rigidlyfs'ecured directly to the meeting edges ofthe side sill 5"and,fl0or=11 by a suitable bolt 17 or thelike.v "This bolt, as shown in Figure 1, extends diagonally through the sub-sill 6 and through a spacing block 18 which is of suitableshape tofitin the space between the convex" face of the outrigger and the opposed faces of theside sills 5 and sub-sill 6 respectively; Thehead of the bolt 17 engages a plate "19 which fits-over and is secured to the adjacent portions of the: sill 5 and floor 11 respectively.

In assembling the 'vehicle,-tl 1'e body is laid upon lOngitudinalbeamsQO of the chassis and the floor 1 1 is directly boltedther'etoI Fibre {strips 21 are preferably inserted be tween the floor and the beams, '20 to l prevent squeaks. f i 1" o Curved. cross braces or struts 22 are used for supporting and bracin'glthe outerportions of the body, which include 'the side sills 5. These struts or braces 22 are also and constructed ac cording to the same method as the side sills 5 and outriggers13. Each strut or brace 22 extends from the side sill 5' to the central sub-sill .9 "and the intermediate and lowermost portion is secured to the'underside of the beam 20 U'-bolt"23 or the like; The

end*portio 'ns*of each strutrorbrace 22 are secured by bolts- 24 and 25 to 't'he sub-sills 6 and 9 respectively .1 fibrestrip 26 may be inserted between the sub-sill 9 and the adjace'nt portions of the braces-22.. fact,-

fibre, strips should be used "between allcontacting; surfaces which mightiotherwise cause annoying squeaks.

By the'construction ab ve described, the vehicle body is brought down a's'low 'aspos- 20 of thelchassis. I u ly-in their relation to the bottom of the body to the supporting beams The sills 5' are held rigidby a strongly braced construction which includes the Outriggers 13. Sagging of the sills 5 is positively prevented by thrust effected by the struts or braces 22 so that the entire body is supported directly from the beams 20 withoutany bending strain on any of the elements which make up the construction. At the same time the elements which any material departure from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

lVhat I claim is: V a

1. In a vehicle. body construction, the combination of longitudinal'side sills, inter;- mediate sub-sills, a floor laid thereon, outriggers connecting the side sills to the subsills and rigidly secured thereto, and struts "with their outer ends abutting against the inner faces of the respective side sills to-prevent the latter from sagging.

. 2. In avehicle body construction, the combination of a side sill, a sub-sill between the side sill and the longitudinal. center line of the vehicle, outriggers connecting the subsill to. the side sill and rigidly secured to both, and a strut withv its outer end abutting against the inner face of the side sill.

3. In a vehicle body construction, the combination of a side sill,sub-si lls between the side sill and the longitudinal center line of the vehicle, outriggers securedagainst the bottoms of said sub-sills, the outer ends. of

said Outriggers being curved downwardly to lie' fiat against the lower portion of the side sill and secured thereto, and struts extending upwardly and V outwardly 'with their outer. ends bearing against the inner face of the side sill. I g I 4. a vehicle body-construction, the combination of a side sill, sub-sillsbetween. the side; sill and the longitudinal'center line of thevehicle, a floor laid on saidsills, outriggers secured. against the bottoms of'said sub-sills, the outer ends of said Outriggers being curved downwardly to lie flat against the lowerpor tion of the side sill and secured thereto, means rigidly connecting the bowed. portions. oft he outriggers directly to the meetingportions of thefioor and sidesill to form a trussed con,-

struction, and struts extending V upwardly and outwardly with their outer ends bearing 7 against the inner face of the side sill.

5. In a vehicle of. the character'described, the combination with longitudinal beams, of a chassis, of longitudinal side sills, inter-. mediate sub-sills, a floor laid on said beams su-lrsi-lls and r-igidly secured thereto, and

struts intermediately secured beneath said beams with their outer ends abutting against the innerfacesof the respective side sills to prevent the latter from sagging.

7. In a vehicle ofthe character described, thezcombination with a longitudinal beam, of

a sidesilh-a sub-sill between said beam and:- side s ll, outriggersconnectmg sa d Sll-br-Slll' to said side sill and rigidly secured to both, and astrut secured beneath said beam with its end abutting, against the inner face of the side sill. I

8. In a vehicle of the character described, the combination with longitudinal. beams of chassis, of side sills, sub-sills between each side sill and the longitudinaloenter line of the vehicle, Outriggers; secured against the bottoms of saidjsub-sills, the outer end of each, outrigger being curved downwardly to lie flat against the lower portion of the respective side sillandsecured thereto, and struts intermediately secured to therespective beams and each extending upwardlyand outwardly with its out-er; end bearingagainstthe inner face oi them pe t de s 9. In a vehicle of the character described, the combination with longitudinal beams-of a chassis, of longitudinal side sills, sub-sillsbe tween each side sill and the longitudinal cen ter lineof the vehicle, a floor laid on said, sills, utriggers secured againstthe bottoms of the respective sub-sills, the outer end of each out rigger being curved" downwardly to lie flat against the lowerportion of the respective side sill; and secured thereto, means. rigidly connecting the I bowedportions of the. outriggers directly. to the meeting portions of the floor and. the respectiveside sills to-form a trussed construction, 7, and struts intermediately secured beneath the respective beams andcurved upwardly at each side thereof, sa-idstruts at their outer ends extending up,- W rdly. and o t r ly: and be ri g; agains theinner facesof therespective side sills.

, 10. ;The combination with a'chassis frame having longitudinal beams, of. a body frame resting on. the chassis frame and having side sills, and reinforcing members secured beneatht said} beams and extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom with-their outer endsabutting against theinside faces of the side sills. e i

11. 'Ilhe combinationwith a, chassisv frame having longitudinalgb eams, of a. body frame resting .0 hei a e sz ame an hav n si sills, and reinforcing members extending beneath and secured to the bottom faces of each of said beams andcurving upwardly, and engaging the body frame in supporting relation thereto both between the beams and at the outer sides thereof.

12. In a vehicle body construction, a frame having longitudinal side sills, intermediate frame members, and bracing members having horizontal portions secured to said intermediate members and curvingthence downwardly and terminating in end portions which have substantially vertical lateral faces bearing 1 against the lower portions of the inner faces of the respective side sills.

13. In a vehicle body construction a frame having longitudinal side sills, an intermediate frame member, and bracing members each having at one end a horizontal portion secured to the intermediate frame member and having at the other end a vertical lateral face lying flat against a vertical face of one of the sills and secured thereto.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

SYDNEY PAUL. 

